- Base yourself near Avignon or Aix-en-Provence, or in a Luberon village if you have a car
- Lavender usually peaks from late June to mid-July, earlier at lower altitudes
- You can get from London by Eurostar and TGV via Paris in around seven hours
- A hire car is essential for the villages and the Gorges du Verdon
- Airports
- Marseille Provence (MRS), Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE)
- Best time to go
- May-June and September; late June to mid-July for lavender
- Type
- Region
Provence, in south-east France, has drawn painters and writers for well over a century, and it isn't hard to see why. The light is clear, the markets overflow with melons, olives and goat's cheese, and the countryside is a patchwork of vineyards, lavender and hilltop villages built of pale stone. Roman monuments in Arles and Orange, the papal city of Avignon and the gorges of the Verdon add plenty to see.
The coast east of Marseille merges into the Côte d'Azur, so it combines well with Nice. For the rest of the country, see our France guide.
Where to stay
- Avignon – a walled city on the Rhône, dominated by the vast Palais des Papes. Excellent train links and a lively theatre festival in July.
- Aix-en-Provence – an elegant university city of fountains, café terraces and Cézanne connections, with a good market most mornings.
- The Luberon – a range of hills dotted with picture-perfect villages such as Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux and Ménerbes. Best for a villa or chambre d'hôte stay with a car.
- Arles – a Roman city by the Camargue wetlands, where Van Gogh painted some of his best-known works.
- Marseille and Cassis – France's second city, with a gritty, vibrant old port, and the pretty harbour town of Cassis next to the Calanques.
Things to do
- Palais des Papes and Pont d'Avignon – the 14th-century papal palace and the famous half-bridge.
- Lavender fields – the Valensole plateau and the Abbaye de Sénanque near Gordes; best from late June to mid-July.
- Luberon markets – Lourmarin on Friday mornings and L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue's Sunday antiques market are favourites.
- Roman Arles and Orange – an arena and theatre in Arles, and one of the best-preserved Roman theatres anywhere in Orange.
- Gorges du Verdon – a dramatic limestone canyon with turquoise water, ideal for kayaking and pedalos on Lac de Sainte-Croix.
- Calanques National Park – rocky inlets between Marseille and Cassis, reached by boat or on foot.
- Pont du Gard – the three-tiered Roman aqueduct, just over the regional border near Avignon.
Getting there and around
Marseille has direct flights from several UK airports, taking about two hours from London, and Nice has even more. By rail, Eurostar to Paris and a TGV to Avignon or Aix-en-Provence takes about seven hours in total, with a change of station in Paris.
TGV and regional trains link Avignon, Arles, Aix and Marseille, and buses reach some villages, but services are sparse. To explore the Luberon, the lavender fields and the Verdon, hire a car. Village roads are narrow and parking fills up on market days, so arrive early.
When to go
May, June and September are ideal: warm and sunny but not overpoweringly hot. July and August bring lavender, festivals and heat, often in the mid-30s °C, plus crowds in the villages. October brings the grape harvest. Winter is cool and quiet, and the Mistral wind can blow hard, but it's a good time for cities and markets.
Top attractions in Provence
ViewpointAiguille du Midi
A record-breaking cable car from Chamonix to a granite needle at 3,842m, with close-up views of Mont Blanc.
LandmarkEiffel Tower
Gustave Eiffel's iron tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair, is the symbol of Paris and offers views across the whole…
MuseumLouvre
The world's most visited museum, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and thousands of years of art in a former…
LandmarkMont-Saint-Michel
A medieval abbey crowning a rocky tidal island off the Normandy coast, Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most…
LandmarkPalace of Versailles
Louis XIV's dazzling palace, with the Hall of Mirrors, vast formal gardens and Marie Antoinette's estate, is the most…
Provence on the map
Frequently asked questions
When is lavender season in Provence?
Usually from late June to mid-July, varying with altitude and weather. Lower fields around Valensole tend to bloom first, while higher areas such as the Sault plateau peak a little later. Harvesting often starts from mid-July.
Is Avignon or Aix-en-Provence the better base?
Avignon has better train links and is closer to the Luberon and Roman sites. Aix is more elegant and closer to Marseille, Cassis and the Verdon. Both work well.
Can you visit Provence without a car?
Yes, if you stay in Avignon, Arles, Aix or Marseille and use trains, buses and tours. You'll need a car or an organised tour to see the Luberon villages and lavender fields properly.
Written by
Emma City breaks & deals editor
Emma plans city breaks the way other people plan the weekly shop: on a budget, with a spreadsheet and a backup plan. She covers city guides and deal-hunting.
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